Figure toy



June 21, 1927; 1,633,456

H. w. NORBERG FIGURE TOY Filed Dec. 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 blillilllll lllllllllllllllllll A TTORNE Y.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 21 1927.

H- W. NORBERG FIGURE TOY Filed Dec. 16; 1926 Patented June 21, 1927.

nueo w. NORBERG, or rL NnMIcHIGAN,

FIGUR 'roY.f

Applicationfiled Deeember is, 1926. "S e ria1 t. 155,204.

This invention relates to toys more particularly to what may be termed, a toy of the type simulating a :foot ball player when kicking, and has for its object to provide,

in a manner as hereinafter set forth a figure toy including a releasable ball-holding means for normally supportinga hall a substantial distance above the base of thetoy and further including means for kicking or punting a ball after the latter has been dropped on release of the ball holding means, under such conditions providing an.

amusing and pleasing toy as well as simulating the action ofa football player. when drop kicking or punting.

Further objects of the inventionare to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth a figure toy which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, amusing when used, convemently operated, and comparatively inexpensive to;manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objectsin,

view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically clescrlbed and illustrated) 1n the accompanying drawings whereln is shown an embodiment of the invention, but itis to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which will fall withinthe scope of the claims hereunto appended.

e a In thedrawings wherein like reference showing in full lines-the normal position thereof which 1s 1n inactlve pos1t1on,and,

when in normal position,

characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 1s a front elevation of a figure,

toy in accordancewith this invention and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the toy further illustrating in; dotted lines the position of one of the legsof the 'toyduring the kicking or panting of the ball.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary-view in section portions of the operjatlng 'mechillustrating anism. v

Figure 5 is a section on line 55, Figure 1, Figure 6 is a section on line 66 Figure 3 Figure? is a fragmentary view in vertical section of a modified form of operating mechanism.

Figure 8 IS a fragmentary view 1T1 sec tional elevation of the modified form of operating mechanism shown in Figure 7. r1

Referring to F igures l to v6 of the draw{ ings, 1- generally indicates a figure representing a foot hall player and consisting of a head 2, abody '3,a pair of arms 4, 5 and a. pair of legs 6, 7/ The arm 5 is shiftable,

as well as the leg 6. The, arm 4 and leg 7 are stationary. The normal osition of the leg 6 is'extended forwardly rom the leg 7 [The leg 6 extends forwardly-at a downward inclination withrespect to the leg 7. The position of the arms 4, 5, is such that they extend forwardly with respect to the body portion 3.; The arm 4 isvprovided with a 1 hand 8and'the arm 5 with a hand 9, The

handsare spaced from each other and are adapted to normally support or hold a ball 10 forwardly of the body 3 and'above the waist forwardly of the chest. The leg 6 ter- 7 minutes in afoot 11, and the leg 7 'is also provided with afoot 12, the latter being fixedly secured to the base 13, for the purpose ofmaintaining thefigure in an upright position. The arm 5 is so set up'relative to the body portion 3, thatit can be shifted laterally with respect thereto to permit of the ball 10 dropping towards the base 13.

The leg 6 is so set up relative to the body portion 3 .that it can "swingrearwardly and forwardly to provide on its forward movement for thekicking of the ball 10, when the latter is dropped from the hands 8, 9 on the lateral shift of the arm 5 from the body portion 3. The arm-5, as well as the leg 6, is spring'controlled. v

The body portion 3 is formed with a vertically disposed chamber l t which extends from a point in proximity to the-upper end thereof to and'beyond the lower end thereof, and said chamber 14 is also extended into the upper portionof the leg 6 and 7. The cham ber ltopens at one side thereof at its upper end and the inner end of the arm 5opposes ,the opened'side, of the chamber 14. The said open side is indicated at 15, The upper end ofthe arm 5, on the inner side thereof, is

formed with a fiat portion 16 and an inclined portion 17.1 The fiatportion 16 normally] abuts against the body portion3 and is arranged forwardly with respect to the inclined portion 17,and the latter from its point of joinder with the portion 16 extends rearwardly and at an outward inclination. Fixed to the arm 5Jandprojecting in the opening 15 is a yoke'18, Pivota-lly connected tothe part 17, as at 19, and extending into the opening 15 is a link 20. Secured to the back wall of the opening 14 is a vertically disposed rectangular plate 21 which is of less height than the height of the chamber 14. The lower portion of the plate 21 is spaced from the back wall of the chamber 14 to provide a clearance for a purpose to be presently referred to. The plate 21 haspro jecting forwardly from each side edge thereof a pair of apertured cars 22, 23, and said plate 21 between its vertical median and the slot 24 wl1ich opens at the bottom edgeof ear 2'3'is formed with a v'eiically disposed connecting the yoke to the extension 26.

Arranged at the forward face of the plate 21, is an actuating lever referred to generally by the reference character 28 and which consists of an upper part 29, an intermediate part 30 and a lower-part 31. The lower end of the upper part 29 is mounted upon a pivot 31' which is carried by the plate21. The upper'par't 29 projects above'the top edge of the plate 21 and is formed with a lengthwise I extending slot 32. Mounted in the slot 32 is a pivot pin 33 which connects a pull bar 34 therewith. Thebar 34 is disposed at right angles to the upper part 29 ofthe lever 28,

and has its outer end pivotally connected as" at 35to the inner end of the link 20; The

' intermediate partof lever 30 is offset with part 29 of thelever 28 normally inclines in respect to the part 29 andextends at a down-j ward inclination and provides means for maintaining the lower part 31 of the lever 28 spaced a substantial distance from the forward face of the plate 21. The upper a direction away from the arm 25 and the lower part of the lever 29 is upon a slight 1 compound curve and inclines to the extent that the lower termmal portion of said part 31 will be arranged at the upper portion of .the slot 24. That edge of the plate 21 which is provided with the ear 23, is also formed with a forwardly directed lug 36 to which is connected one end of a controlling spring- 37 for the lever 28. The other end of the controlling spring 37, is connected as at 38 to'the lower part 31 of the lever 28.

Journa-led in the ears 22, 23 is a spring controlled shaft 39 which carries the leg 6.

The shaft 39 is manually operated in one direction, against the action of its controlling -spring, to shift theleg 6 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. The shaft 39 extends through the upper portion ofthe "leg 7, as well as projects laterally therefrom,

and is providedwith a finger piece or grip it is moved'in a clockwise directionby 40 'to facilitate the turning of the shaft 39 when it is desired to shift the leg 6 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. The shaft 39 does not project through theleg 6, but the latter isformed with a socket 41, see Figure 1, to receive one end of the shaft. That end of the shaft which is mounted in the socket 41is provided with a diametrically disposed opening 42, through which extends a securing pin 43 whichis mounted in the upper portion of the leg 6, whereby the latter is coupled with the shaft 39, see Figure 4. The controlling spring for the shaft 39 is indicated at 44 and which has one end fixed to the shaft 39 and its other end fixed, as at 45 to the ear 22. The shaft 39 extends across the slot 24 and has fixedly secured thereto the hub 46 of a disk 47 provided with a cam face 48 arrangedin the path of movement of the shaft 39 or rather for lim-' iting the movement of the shaft 39 when it is actuated by-its controlling spring 44. The shaft 39 is shifted in an anti-clockwise direction against the action of its controlling spring 44 and when the shaft 39'is released, its controlling spring.

The normal position of the operating mechanism for the arm 5 and leg 6,is as shown in Figuresl and 3. If the shaft 39 be moved in an anti-clockwise direction, the

cam face 48 acting upon the level- 28 will provide for the upper part 29 of sald lever,

to move away from the arm25,carrying the pull bar 34 therewith,{shifting the arm 5 on its pivot 27 providing a lateral movement with respect to the hand 9, so that it will move away from the hand 8 and permit the ball 10 to drop. When the shaft 39 is moved in a manner as stated, the leg 6' is swung to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 and shaft 39 is then released, the spring 44 then moves the leg 6 forwardly and the foot 11 contactingwith the ball 10 will kick or punt the same. When the shaft 39 is released, the arm 5 is swung to its nor. mal position, such as shown in Figures 1 and 2, by the action of its controlling spring 37. The toy is so manipulated by the op erator, that immediately'upon the dropping of the -ball 10 from the hands 8 and 9, the shaft 39 is released so that the foot 11 can lfienshifted forwardly to'kick or punt the With respect to the modified form" in Figures 7 and 8, the difference resides solely in the substitution of a cup-shaped member 52, for the disk 47. The member 52has the body portion thereof provided with a cam shaped groove 53 in which operates the lower 28. Otherwise than that as stated the construction shown in Figures 7 and 8 is the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 6.

The disk 47, as well as the member 53 operates in the slot 21 and has the lower part of the plate 21 spaced from the back wall of the chamber 14 where a clearance is provided for said disk 4%? or member 52. The plate 21 is positioned above the bottom of the chamber 14 to further provide a clearance for thedisk 17 or member 52.

The body portion 3 is cut away as at 51 to provide a socket for the upper end of the leg 6 and the rearward movement of the said leg 6, is arrested by the top wall portion 52 of the socket 51, see Figure 4.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A toy comprising an upstanding figure simulating a foot ball player and having as a part thereof a spring controlled releasable means for normally holding a ball in an elevated position and capable when released to provide for the dropping of the ball therefrom, said figure further having as a part thereof a normally projected spring controlled ball kicking element for kicking the ball when the latter is dropped, a spring controlled retaining mechanism for said means adapted when actuated in one direcand a normally locked pivoted arm coacting therewith to provide for holding a ball in an elevated position and capable when released to provide for the dropping of the ball, said'figure further having as a part thereof a normally projected pivotedsleg to provide for the kicking of the ball when dropped, a spring controlled retaining mechanism within said figure for said pivoted arm and adapted when actuated in one direction to release said pivoted arm, and a spring controlled shifting mechanism'carried by said figure for moving said leg from normal position on the release of said arm and for returning said leg to normal position to kick the ball whendropped, said mechanisms having coacting parts to provide for the actuation, of the retaining mechanism to release said arm.

In testimony whereof, I, aflix my ture hereto.

HUGO W. NORBERG.

signa- 1 

